IN-DEPTH: Jobs iffy as long as parking drags on

Fire union: 'Public safety can't become a pawn'

Mar. 28, 2013

The top of this parking meter on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine has been tampered with. Someone has been cutting the tops off of meters in Over-the-Rhine for the last six weeks, elluding the police and costing the city an untold amount of money. Dozens of meters have fallen victim. Photo shot Wednesday December 5, 2012.

The longer the legal battle over Cincinnati’s proposed parking lease lingers, the more city employees may have to worry about job security.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Winkler is expected to decide as soon as today whether City Council acted properly when it passed the parking plan with an emergency clause, allowing it take effect immediately.

Opponents argued the issue shouldn’t have been considered an emergency and that it should go before the voters in November. If the judge rules against the city, or keeps in place a temporary restraining order prohibiting the city from proceeding on the deal, officials plan to appeal, drawing the case out even longer.

But the city’s running out of time. As the July 1 start of the fiscal year approaches – and if the $92 million upfront payment from the parking deal is still on hold – City Manager Milton Dohoney will have to proceed with Plan B, the list of cuts he issued last month. He planned to use $25 million of that money to help fill next year’s budget deficit.

Without it, the cuts obviously get bigger: 344 layoffs, including 189 police department employees and 80 firefighters, plus both recruit classes; $1.7 million cut from human services agencies; the closure of three community centers and six pools; and cuts to arts organizations, park maintenance and neighborhood support funds.

Council has rejected these same cuts in the past. This could be different, though, because Dohoney has already laid this out as his plan. So any layoffs won’t come to council as part of a budget package council members can change. Dohoney doesn’t need council approval to move forward.

But laying off city employees is a complicated process and will take some time. The city first needs approval of the civil service commission. Any employees to be cut must receive 30 days notice.

“We put (the parking plan) out there because we need it,” Meg Olberding, Dohoney’s spokeswoman, said Wednesday. “We think this is a very prudent way to keep the momentum going in our city.”

Opponents disagree. They’re working to collect 8,522 valid signatures to put the issue on the November ballot. They fear rates would skyrocket if Cincinnati meters and garages are operated by private companies. Meters, garages and lots would be leased to the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and managed by Xerox and other companies.

Matt Alter, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 48, said the union has not yet begun any talks with city officials about possible layoffs.

An average of five pieces of fire equipment (out of 40 in the city) sit idle each day – that’s called a “brownout” – to save money. That’s a 121/2 percent reduction in the city’s fire force every day, Alter said. Dohoney’s proposed cuts would equal another seven pieces browned out, or almost a third of the city’s fire fleet.

The department’s already down to about 750 firefighters from its authorized complement of 841, he said. Another 60 firefighters expect to retire by the end of 2014.

“Public safety can’t become a pawn in a political game,” he said. “The public still calls 911.” ⬛